Taking the Right Wrong Turn

The wise men following a star thought they were taking the RIGHT TURN when they went to the big city of Jerusalem in search of a king.

However, they quickly found out that they had taken the WRONG TURN. This special king was not going to be born in the big city of Jerusalem but in the little town of Bethlehem.

The surprising location of the birth of this king signals that this king will be different. This king will be partial to the “little ones,” to those who have no claims on power and privilege.

King Herod tries to involve the wise men in an evil plan to kill this newborn king. But God has the last word and thwarts the evil plan of Herod. What had seemed to be the WRONG TURN is in fact the RIGHT TURN as God intervenes and saves the wise men and the Holy Family from impending danger.

Surprising turns fill this story. What seems like the WRONG TURN is once again the RIGHT TURN as the wise men’s gift of myrrh foretells the death and resurrection of Jesus and the triumph of God’s love.

That is how the love of God works. In Jesus God TAKES THE RIGHT WRONG TURN taking on everything that is WRONG with our lives and this world and making it RIGHT.